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Sweden distributes 'be prepared for war' leaflet to 4.8m homes

The Swedish government has begun sending a 20-page pamphlet to all of the country’s 4.8 million households, for the first time in more than a half a century. The leaflet titled “Om krisen eller kriget kommer (If crisis or war comes)” details what to do in the event of war, including how to secure food, what warning signals mean and where to find bomb shelters.

So what?

In 2016, Sweden increased its military spending, reversing years of cuts. More recently, it has entered into talks about joining NATO, and in 2017 reintroduced military conscription. The reasons Sweden gives for these moves and its increase in military spending include deteriorating security in Europe, and Russia’s role in the Ukraine conflict. Are we likely to see more governments taking action to prepare their citizens in the event of war? What does this say about our current political climate?